Panasonic announces Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II ASPH Mega OIS

CP+ 2013: Panasonic has announced the Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II Asph. Mega O.I.S - its latest affordable kit lens for Micro Four Thirds mirrorless cameras. The 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II is the company's fourth variable aperture standard zoom (following the 14-45mm, original 14-42mm and 14-42mm power zoom), and gains two aspherical elements to help make the lens smaller than the existing version. The 14-42mm II will be available as a kit option with both the DMC-GF5 and DMC-G5 in most markets.

Comments

Seems like a sensible update that brings Panasonic in line with the best selling point for micro 4/3 - SMALL cameras that take ok pictures. The old Panasonic 14-42, being both ok-to-crappy and large, de-emphasized one of the main reasons why people check the system out in the first place. Of course folks who want a small-to-medium camera that takes great pics can always spend extra on primes and a better zoom.

The collapsible X zoom does not compete with the 14-42 kit. It fills the same medium-market niche as the 14-45, where the collapsible zoom is ok-and-very-small (plus video) while the 14-45 is largish-but-very-good. Assuming that Panasonic holds the line with its optics, this registers as a big plus over the last 14-42.

M4/3 haters are everywhere it seems, or at least plenty on DP review. The GH1, GH2, GH3 and others by Panasonic and the critically acclaimed Olympus OMD and PENs take pictures on par with their larger APS-C counterparts. This is not debatable.The statement that m4/3 are "SMALL cameras that take ok pictures" is asinine.

Sorry to inform you that comparable lenses to the Panasonic 12-35mm CONSTANT f2.8 are much costlier than the $1300 that Panasonic is charging.AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED (2.9x). $1,900Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM $2,025You should know what you are talking about prior to making ridiculous statements.And who says that bigger lenses cost more to make? Another uninformed statement.

It extends 5mm? The original 14-42 extends significantly more than 5mm, more like 25mm (at least 1") or more. I'd like to see pictures of it extended only 5mm at full telephoto. That would be some achievement for a lens at this price point.

I think this is a great step! The existing 14-42 doesn't have a great reputation, the power-zoom 14-42X has a wildly variable reputation, the original 14-45 has an excellent reputation but you can't buy a new Lumix camera with that lens on anymore.IF this new one goes back to the great optical and QC standards of the 1st 14-45 then everyone will be happier and there will be less "why my photos shakey?" threads.

> you can't buy a new Lumix camera with that lens on anymoreYou can buy them separately as I did. For example, right now G5 body only and 14-45 are in stock of at least one reputable online retailer in the states.

It is a kit lens! It is always good to have version II of kit lens as most people will own it, especially beginnerThis is a good upgrade of the existing one- smaller (easy to spot from the picture)- lighter (160g -> 110g, almost 1/3 lighter)- shorter (63mm -> 49mm)- standard 46mm filter size- IF- 12 elements + 1 asph glasses -> 9 elements + 2 asph glasses- Plastic Mount -> Metal mount- Minimum focus: 0.3m -> 0.2m- Color / finishing seem better than the old one

No of course not. But if it get the IQ back to the original 14-45mm, then why not. You've already got an F2.8 zoom if you want one, most consumers buy the kit lens with a body. So if this is an improved version of the 14-42 and will be bundled with future Panasonic bodies, then why not. I'm sure there is a few dozen other lenses here that people will want but why not make your basic lens offering better too; Start people out with higher quality images. I may be making some assumptions with this lens, but Panasonic has made good zooms in the past, I'm sure this one will be more than acceptable on G, GX, and GF series bodies.